Michael Tell is a name that hit the headlines for his controversial 13 days of marriage to the popular actress Patty Duke in 1970. After many years of separation, the name got the spotlight after the revelation that he is the biological father of the popular American actor Sean Astin.
In this article, we have collected all the important aspects of the life of Michael Tell and how he is related to Sean Austin.
Also, we are going to have a look at his career aspects and why he was in the dark for so long when married to one of the most popular actresses in the entertainment world.
But first, I am sure that you care to have a sneek peek into the life of Michael. Let’s have a quick look!
Who is Michael Tell?
Michael is an American rock music promoter, writer, and publisher of the newspaper The Las Vegas Israelite. He mainly came to the spotlight because of his relationship with the popular actress Patty Duke.
When Duke and Tell got married, there was an age difference of two years between the duo, so we can assume that Michael was born in the year 1944 in Chicago, United States of America.
Michael indulged in rock music till the time he was in high school and began working in the field of music at a very early age. According to some sources, he completed journalism at the University of Illinois. He started his career as a journalist for the Chicago Tribune and later moved on to become a writer for Life magazine.
In addition to writing, he also managed several reporters during his tenure with the magazine. In 2010, Michael took retirement after working in this area for more than 40 years.
Currently, the information about the ex-husband of Patty Duke is completely in the dark as he prefers to keep his personal life private. As of 2023, we can assume that the age of Mike would be 79 years old. There are not even the exact details that can tell if Michael is alive. His career achievements and all the details are unknown.
His Relationship With Sean Astin
Michael Tell is the biological father of Sean Astin. Sean didn’t spend his childhood with his biological father. At the age of 23, Sean decided to take on a paternity test to find out the truth behind his biological father.
Earlier, he was told by his mother, Patty Duke, that his biological father was Desi Arnaz Jr., but he later found out the contradictory statements of his mother.
After a while, he met some people related to Michael Tell, who put light on the relationship between Patty and Tell. This incident further leads to a paternity test, and he finds out that Tell is his real father.
According to an interview with People, Astin revealed to the media that he was unaware of a lot of stuff before that. When Sean was 14, he came to know that Desi Arnaz was his biological father. By the time he began to develop a bond with Arnaz, he had come to know the truth about Michael.
Amidst all the chaos, Sean gives a statement that John Astin is his real father, and Michael Tell is his biological father. He also said that he is maintaining a healthy relationship with all three men.
With Michael he says that he is maintaining a good relationship with Mike. After all, he is the biological father. For Desi Arnaz, he stated that he is his Godfather and it is not anybody’s fault. He has a strong bond with Desi and calls him a gorgeous human being.
Moreover, John Astin also gave a statement that Sean and Michael are forming a close bond with each other. Astin found Michael, a great guy, and they formed a friendly relationship.
Patty Duke’s Response to the Revelation of Sean’s Biological Father
According to some sources, Patty’s reaction was not welcoming to the truth after the test. She stated that if God looks into her eyes and says that she has been mistaken all these years. Only then was she going to accept the paternity test. She supports and respects both the truth.
Before the paternity test, Duke released an autobiography where she mentioned a few facts from her life which completely contradicted after the test.
In her biography ‘Call Me Anna: The Autobiography of Patty Duke,’ she stated that the marriage between Tell and Duke was never perfect. After their marriage, she always found her way to the casinos to find Michael and spend her money on paying his debts.
In fact, many chapters of her book seem to be focusing on emphasizing false facts about her relationship with Michael as well as her son’s paternity. She first told Sean that John is his biological father.
In 18985, she stated that Arnaz is his biological father. After the paternity test, all the facts told by Duke seemed untrue.
Michael and Patty’s Controversial 13 Days Marriage
Duke got pregnant in June 1970, which was the exact reason behind her marriage to Mike. She also finds a way to get out of the scandal at that time.
The duo got married in Las Vegas on June 26, 1970, and parted ways right after two weeks of the wedding on July 9, 1970.
The main reason told by the Duke behind the separation was unhappiness and spoiled behavior of the Tell. She mentioned in her book that Mike was always on the phone dealing and never ate anything. In fact, she called Gandhi fat in front of Mike.
Patty was all busy paying his debts in casinos after their marriage. She was always panicked and unhappy. This short span of marriage brings many uncomfortable situations for Patty Duke.
According to the autobiography of Duke, when she was married to Duke, he decided to see his relatives in New Jersey. For Mike, it was fun to rent out a Learjet and pick up his dogs from Chicago on the way. Duke paid a sum of Fourteen thousand dollars for this act.
In this timeframe, she also aired on the Dick Cavett Show, where she said a few things that were not making any good sense for the host as well as for the viewers. Later, they went back to their hotel, and they had a huge argument.
After the fight, her friends rescue her from the hotel and provide her with the initial treatment. Later, she asked for a divorce and asked Michael to leave her apartment. The two got divorced after one year of separation.
According to the biography of Duke, Mike was tormenting her physically, emotionally, and financially.
Ending Thoughts
After getting divorced from Michael, Patty Duke was full of hopelessness. She wouldn’t have survived if she was not pregnant at that time. Her pregnancy only gave her hope which she had to further lived for.
After the divorce, there was no sign of where Michael was all these years. It was the paternity test of Sean that came to Michael Tell to the limelight again. The relationship between the two has now been turned harmonious.
Hopefully, you have got all the information related to the second husband of Patty Duke and his relationship with his son Sean Astin.
